Imports are a real concern for vegetable and specialty crop producers across the Southeast and were the basis for a couple of U.S. International Trade Commission hearings. A closer look at the most recent USDA data explains why. According to the USDA Vegetable and Pulses Outlook: April 2021, the value of all vegetable and pulse imports totaled $16.1 billion in …
Georgia Farmer: Labor Shortage to Have Snowball Effect
By Clint Thompson Agriculture is not immune to the labor shortage epidemic in America. Farmers are struggling to obtain essential items that they once took for granted; pallets to ship the produce on; boxes to put the produce in; drivers to transport the produce. All can be attributed to the lack of a workforce, says South Georgia vegetable farmer Ricky …
North Alabama Producers Weathering Late-Season Freeze, Rains
By Clint Thompson Better now than a month from now. That’s the mindset Alabama vegetable and specialty crop producers must have following a late-season frost that impacted the northern portion of the state two weeks ago. “(The frost) made people wait another week or so to set squash, some of their summer crops. That was one thing. We did see …
Florida Ag Commissioner: Soul of our Country Built on American Farmers
If the U.S. relies on foreign markets for its food supply, it is a dangerous trend, says Florida Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried. She, like many of her farmers, believe it to be a national security issue. It needs addressing now. “We cannot afford to let our farmers go out of business and sell their land to development and then force …
The Future of Precision Weed Control
By Yiannis Ampatzidis Farmers use mainly agrochemicals for weed control and follow conventional crop protection strategies that use a vast amount of chemicals, despite some negative impacts on the environment and human health. More than 90% of the acreage of crops in the United States is sprayed with herbicides. It is estimated that around $31.5 billion was spent on herbicides …
Clemson Extension Agents Provide Crop Updates
Clemson Extension agents provide updates in the The South Carolina Grower this week about the status of various crops being produced throughout the state. Weekly Field Update-5/3/21 Coastal Rob Last reports, “Botrytis (gray mold) is evident in places following rainfall. Sanitation and removal of the infected berries are critical to reducing inoculum loading. Fungicide applications will also be required to prevent spore …
Chilly Impact: Cold Temperatures Impact Alabama Vegetable Crops
By Clint Thompson Last week’s brief cold snap is likely to have a lasting impact on Alabama’s vegetable crops. Joe Kemble, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist, expected farmers to start seeing cold damage this week, especially on warm-season vegetables like tomatoes and peppers. “I think there was enough hours below optimal temperatures for a lot of crops that you’re going to …
Quality in Question: Fried Defends State’s Produce During Hearing
The quality of Southeast produce was called into question during the U.S. International Trade Commission hearing on squash and cucumbers. Industry leaders took exception to the notion that consumers prefer Mexican produce over what’s grown in the United States and that has contributed to the domestic market decline for both commodities. Florida Ag Commissioner Nikki Fried was asked about the …
Georgia Produce Farmer: (Mexico) Doesn’t Care About Costs
What should be an advantage to Southeast producers against Mexico is anything but, believes Georgia vegetable farmer Dick Minor. Freight prices continue to spike, which has only worsened since gas prices continue to increase. But that doesn’t matter to produce originating out of Mexico, Minor added. “High freight rates are our friend or should be technically our friend from a …
USDA Vegetable Outlook
Fresh vegetable production value in the United States was down 11% in 2020, according to the USDA Vegetable and Pulses April Outlook. Spinach experienced the biggest decline, dropping 28.7% a year after increasing 49.8%. Cauliflower dropped 25%. A year after increasing 22.8%, cabbage production dropped 18.2%. Bell peppers dropped 11.2%, while Carrots declined 7.1%. Dry onions also dropped 14.5%. Sweet …